In 1973, a registry and clinical study of patients with hereditary polyposis and colorectal cancer syndromes was initiated at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. In 1984, the Bowel Tumor Working Group was formed to study the biology of colorectal tumors and to expand the Registry functions. The Registry is maintained in a computerized Dbase III database and includes: 1) family histories and food frequency questionnaires of 716 patients evaluated for colorectal neoplasia and, 2) 2120 families who have been enrolled in the Registry based on their family history, including families with hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes, familial aggregation of colorectal cancer and early onset of colorectal cancer. The Core for the SPORE has now been expanded to included pancreatic cancer patients. Presently, the CORE for Colorectal and Pancreatic Cancer collects family history, dietary data from affected and at-risk individuals to support investigations of the role of familial and environmental factors in the molecular genetic alterations in both colorectal and pancreatic carcinoma.